I am a horrible dancer, I mean a really horrible dancer. and I have been
for my entire life, with no desire to ever change. While the other kids in my
elementary school were taking lessons, I was playing kickball and flies up. And
while they were learning social graces, I was learning batting averages, which
was OK until I hit Jr. High, and was faced with my first dance. Now a friend
had told me he knew a girl, who knew a girl, who said she liked me, which still
gave me the cooties, but at 14 girls started having shapes, and the social
pressure of interacting was inescapable. So with the first 8th grade dance
after school coming up, I went, fulfilling every 8th grade boys obligation of
standing on one side of the gym, while the girls stood on the other. Cleverly
making fun of the few who actually got out and danced. And as the afternoon
slowly passed, it was evident she was expecting me to ask her to dance, and a
few friends had even pushed me out onto the floor. So finally getting up enough
courage, I started across the floor, carefully rehearsing my lines, and making
excuses for when she said no. But half way there, I got really scared, what if
she said yes? The whole 8th grade at Terrilll Jr. High was watching, and old 12
feet here can’t dance, what was I to do? I couldn’t turn away, that took more
courage, and I couldn’t look back, our eyes had met, and she knew I was going to
ask, maybe she was as scared as I was, no girls mature faster than boys, and I
was real immature, how was I going to look cool now? Fortunately by the time I
got to her, the song had started, a slow dance, one break for me, and when I
said something clever like “wanna dance,” she was equally as clever and said
“yes.” Now at 14 all boys are hands and glands, and I was to slow dance, so I
started swaying to the music, hey this isn’t so bad, and I may have blacked out,
as I don’t remember the rest, but it must have been Ok, as we soon after became
boy and girl friend, must have been my other charms, as it sure wasn’t my
dancing. But I had overcome the fear of asking, and the fear of being told
yes...and I wonder if she thinks all 14 year old boys sweat and stutter so
much?
I don’t ride with very many people any more, and don’t do group rides, I
call them crowd control. so if you ask to ride with me, don’t be ashamed if I
ask some questions about how you ride, I prefer to ride alone, so ask few
myself. But every once in a while I ride with others, asking if I can tag
along, hoping the bike I am on is better than I am. And sometimes I wish I
hadn’t when they say yes, now I am committed, and have to go, and that old 8th
grade dance fear comes over me, now everyone will be looking at me, what if I
miss a corner, take a bad line, or don’t ride as fast as the group? What if
they make fun of this old guy? And my list goes on, until I realize they may be
thinking the same, so I just ride my own ride, and hope they do to. I have
nothing to prove, I ride for fun, don’t you? So why do I get so upset? Would I
rather have my ego bruised by being told no, or being told yes? Life is full of
difficult tests, riding shouldn’t, should it?
And so it goes in ministry, we make excuses for not obeying God. Thinking
it is all about our charisma that shows the grace of God, not realizing that it
is only the Holy Spirit that changes life, we are just the messenger. And so we
share Jesus with a friend, who begins to ask questions, and we find out how
unprepared we really are, and get buried in mumbles for answers, wishing to do
well, but falling on back on what we know, or don’t know, instead who we do
know, Jesus. We begin to look for any escape route, when maybe God is trying
to show us something also, if we are listening. And sometimes our zealousness
will get us in trouble, but knowing Jesus never leaves us, we can fall back on
Him for that escape route, the way out, and the way to show Him. So I have
found that when He gets the glory, I get the blessings, so I lay it all at His
feet, listening and knowing He will provide the right words, and even falling so
low as to listen first, then respond. Isaiah 65:24 tells us that God knows what
to do before we ask, and is already working on the plan, are we listening? Or
are we witnessing when we should be a witness? Who am representing, myself or
Jesus? The truth can hurt when it really has come to set us free, so let it!
But what if while sharing they want to know Jesus? What if they say yes? No
what? What have I done now? What have I gotten into? Exactly the thing God
wants you to do, to make disciples, to stand with that person, mentor or teach
them, to help them grow in God. God has answered your prayer, why aren’t you
rejoicing?
Maybe your agenda was your own, not Jesus’. But despite us, God still
saves people, still disciples them, and still blesses, even us. So turn to Him
today, repent, change your direction to follow Him, not lead Him, and watch as
the blessings grow, as those around you begin to see more Jesus in you, because
He works from the inside out, not the outside in, He looks on the heart, and
loves us anyway. And if you haven’t said yes to Jesus yet, now is a great
time. We can pray...and let God do what God loves to do. If only dancing were
so easy?
Let me leave you with a thought, about sharing this with others. It is so
easy to share with a friend, seeking a blessing, please this is not a chain
letter promising blessings if you pass it on to 10 friends. Consider it an
encouragement to share Jesus, and pass it along to someone not a friend, that is
what Christ would do. Somewhere across the dance floor someone is just waiting
to be asked. Or someone just looking for someone to ride with. If I can dance,
you can surely share Christ? Hopefully it will be a slow song...or a beginning
of a long ride. You will never know until you ask.
love with compassion,
Mikematthew25biker.blogspot.com